PROVIDENCE, R.I. - With BIG EAST golf teams one month into their fall schedules, the conference announced its men's and women's Golfer of the Month award for September on Tuesday. Notre Dame freshman Nicole Zhang grabbed the award on the women's side, while Villanova senior Brendan Kelly earned the distinction for the men.

Zhang earns BIG EAST women's Golfer of the Month after an impressive showing at the Mary Fossum Invitational on Sept. 25-26. Zhang fired rounds of 69, 67 and 71 in the three-round tournament at Forest Akers West Golf Club in East Lansing, Mich., to claim first place individually in her first collegiate tournament. Her 54-hole total of 207 (9-under par) was the lowest score in Notre Dame program history and also broke the Mary Fossum Invitational all-time record. The freshman was the only player to finish under par, helping the Irish to a first-place team finish. Zhang's second-round score of 67 was also the second lowest single round in program history. The Calgary, Alberta, native went on to win the tournament by nine strokes.

Kelly earns BIG EAST men's Golfer of the Month by notching a pair of top-three finishes in the first month of the fall season. The senior tied for first at The McLaughlin on Sept. 17-18, finishing with a three-round total of 207 to end 3-under par. The tournament, which took place at the Bethpage Red Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., included 81 individuals and 15 teams. Kelly helped the Wildcats to third place team finish, notching rounds of 66, 69 and 72. The Annapolis, Md., native followed that with a third-place individual finish at the Adams Cup of Newport in Newport, R.I., on Sept. 20-21. Kelly shot a three-round total of 218 (2-over par) at the Orchard Course at Newport National Country Club, including a final round 70.